Crafting: 24 Hour Event

I hope you have been enjoying your summer.  I have been making memories this past summer and will be sharing new things in the upcoming posts that you will not want to miss.  I just had to share with you 24 hours craft event on HSN beginning at 11:00 pm CST tonight.  There is a new launch for Martha Stewart beginning at 11:00 pm tonight as she celebrates her 4th year on HSN. There are going to be shows from Anna Griffin, Lisa Bearnson, 3 Birds, We R Memory Keepers, Singer, and many, many more that you will not want to miss out.  There are going to be phenomenal sale that you will not want to miss.  I love just getting ideas, learning new techniques, and just inspire to go and craft.  I hope you plan to join and watch the shows starting this evening.  Please leave a response if you are inspired during this event or see an awesome product that you think is a must have.

Happy Scrappin’ 24!!

Photogenic : the Groove Book

I was so excited when I saw the episode of Shark Tank that featured the Groove Book. The concept is great and the answer to the memory keeper in your life. First, you download the Groove Book app. Next, you choose 100 photos and upload them. Finally, confirm and you receive your book in the mail. I placed my order on March 9th and received my book on March 26th. The cost of the book is a flat $2.99. So every 30 days you receive another 100 photos. This is perfect if you use Project Life or any other pocket page system or if you just love creating layouts of your memories. The book is bounded in a perforated album which includes the time stamp of when the pictures was taken which is another bonus when you are journaling. The issue I have with this book is that the quality of the pictures are not as good as the ones that can be purchased at you neighborhood pharmacy photo department. The photo is printed on a glossy thin paper and the clarity of the photographs are not as precise as I would like them. Some of the photos were blurry and dark. If the the thin photograph and quality is not as important than the actual documentation than you will enjoy this concept and book. Unfortunately, for me I do prefer a better quality photograph but absolutely love this concept. I will love to order another book again in a few months to see if there are any changes to this Groove Book. For now, my seven year old daughter is excited to be using these pictures in her scrapbook albums / smash book.

If you want a free copy of the Groove Book, please respond to this post and I will send you the Promo Code. Once you receive your book, please leave me feedback regarding your experience.

Cricut Explore Part 1

After many years of wanting an electrical die cutting machine, the new release of the Cricut Explore has found a home in my craft loft.  The new design space and the Anna Griffin exclusive has made my creative projects more inspiring.  So for many who is still not sure about this new Cricut Explore here’s the real craft scoop.  First of all, you receive the actual Cricut Explore Machine, the cutting mat, blade,  card stock, vinyl, iron on, and duck tape sheets.  Also, you’ll receive a metallic silver pen and a bag.  Second, the accessory kit is a separate purchase but is worth it because in this kit you’ll get the score tool, spatula, tweezers, scarper, weeder, and scissors. There is also a pen accessory set that they offer which is my next investment.  I am still navigating through the Design Space which with any new software has experienced a few delays but has improved.  I also found when I used a newer updated computer there were less issues and delays.  Finally,  I started off by making simple projects by using the make it now feature and has found it easy to navigate.

My Cricut Explore at work.

My Projects from Design Space, Anna Griffin Designs, & Custom.

Winter CHA 2014 in Review

The Winter CHA 2014 has come to a close but the beginning of the hottest and most wanted products that will be available to the consumers are in route to your local crafting stores or to your favorite online stores. I have been watching many of the clips as well as reading many of the blog posts from CHA and there are so many product lines that are just amazing. The innovator, Becky Higgins, has brought more to her Project Life community with the expansion of three new core kits, 6×8 albums with four corresponding pocket page system, photo overlays, creme color cards, 4×4 cards, washi tape, and dies. Making things Pretty is what the inspiring Heidi Swapp has brought this year to CHA. The launch of her mini stencils and color magic tags, and more color shines. I love her memory file line and cannot wait to see how she is going to incorporate this into her new product line. The basically essential Ms. Teresa Collins has again brought a beautiful line this CHA. Let’s Save the Date and welcome Hello My Name Is are of the new additions to her wonderful product lines. One of the most exciting news was the announcement of her partnership with We R Memory Keepers. She has designed a new paper line for their pocket page 12×12 albums system. Along with the fabulous giveaways sponsored by We R Memory Keepers the awaited new hot flower punch board is what has caught the my interest. Other amazing designers but not limited to all the ones that were at this year Winter CHA are Tim Holtz, Amy Tangerine, Studio Calico, Dear Lizzy, and Maggie Holmes, just to name a few. There was so many new product lines that I just cannot name them all. I am excited and anxious to use the new products that was launched at the CHA in my creative projects….. Happy Scrapping!

Emotional Roller Coaster

On January 2, 2014, the crafting industry received sad news. Archiver’s the local scrapbook store were closing all their remaining stores by mid February of 2014. Archivers has served as a home to find new innovative products, exclusive product lines, workshops throughout the year for card makers and scrapbookers, crops, and more. The staff was knowledgeable of various products lines, helpful when needing ideas on layouts or projects, and a great staff that will be truly missed. This establishment has carried our world to another level that many of the bigger box stores has failed to gap the bridges to. This also, with great sadness meant an end to Scrapfest that has been held at the Mall of America for the past few years. Through Archiver’s crops and Scrapfest, friendships has been bonded with strangers who now are dear crafting friends. As they are beginning to liquidate their stores it’s with sadness that many friends are joining and coming together one last time before the doors closed for good to crop together. With mixed emotions this is also an exciting time for this industry as new product lines are being launched this week. The Craft and Hobby Association is launching the Winter CHA Trade Show beginning Saturday, January 11th through Tuesday, January 14th. Many of my favorite designers and product lines have been giving sneak peeks of their products on the social media streams. I’ll be sharing you some of my favorite picks for the season on my Facebook page.

Preparing for Harvest

We made it 10 months through the year of 2013. What have you been laboring? What have you been working on? The year may not have been what you have expected. It may have brought some unexpected things. As we enter the month of November, the month of Gratitude and Thanksgiving, focus on the fruits of your labor. It’s now the time to reap your harvest. Therefore, I have lined up a few projects that I will be sharing with you throughout the month reflecting on this theme. I usually focus on the pictures and minimal journal entries for my scrapbook projects. But this month I feel that I need to take it to a whole new level and focus more on journalism.

My first fall  project will be a Project Life album using a brown American Crafts Project Life Mini Album.

Also, I’m using the Project Life Fall themed cards of a pack of 60.

I had contemplated if I should do this album but after my long and trying day I realized I had to this one for me to reflect on how far I have come from January to now. I have not decided if this should be a daily thing at the moment but more of a book of positive notes that I want to remember. My first page will consist of a picture of my family at a Harvest Festival that we recently attended and a journal entry for the day. I want to be able to reflect that although trials and obstacles may come my way that I have planted goods seeds and I am thankful of the fruit that they bear.

Today I am Grateful!

Have a Scrappy Day! – Marlishia….